Waxing of paper and wrapping of articles therein



Aug. 16, 1932. c. s. HAMERSLEY WAXING OF PAPER AND WRAPPING OF ARTICLES THEREIN Filed March 25, 1929 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES m 8. HAMEBSLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

'W'AZING OF PAPER, AND WRAPPING 0F ABTICLES THEBEIN Application fled larch 25, 1929. Serial No. 849,549.

This invention relates broadly to the waxing of paper and the wrapping of articles therein, and provides for the' waxing and wrapping in a continuous process or opera- I tion.

Throughout this specification reference will be made to waxing apparatus and wrappin apparatus. The latter expression is inten ed to cover apparatus such as employed in the wrapping of bread and like articles as well as that type of machine in which a number of articles may be gathered into a packa e and then enclosed or wrapped in waxe paper.

For a better understanding of this invention I may state that heretofore it has been customary for the user of the wrapping ma chine to purchase the waxed paper in roll form ,or in sheet form. Owing to the fact that considerable time may elapse between the delivery of thewaxed paper to the user and its use in the wrapping machine, it has been found necessary to supply the user with a paper coatedwith a high melting point wax, for example a wax having a melting point in some cases ashigh as 1449. This is for the reason that low melting point wax becomes sticky at room temperatures especially in summer and because of this fact difliculty is experienced in unreeling the paper or in separating the sheets, as the case may be, and feeding the paper to the wrapping apparatus. The use of the high melting point wax affords only partial relief, however, inasmuch as even this wax becomes sufiiciently sticky and tacky in warm. weather to render its use diflicult. Furthermore, under the processes com mercially practiced today, wherein it is necessary to reel the paper after waxing, it is found that in unreeling the paper the surface becomes marred, thus detrimentally effecting the transparency and shine.

I overcome all of these difiiculties in the present invention and am also enabled to make use of a low melting point wax by avoiding the necessity of reeling the paper after the waxing operation and by chilling the paper immediately before it enters the wrapping apparatus,- the effects of the chill- 'coating of the paper as a sealing medium for ing operation remainin to the completion of the wrapping operatlon.

The resent invention also provides, if desired, or printing of the paper prior to the waxing operation and inasmuch as the print- 73 mg, waxing and wrapping are carried out in a continuous process or operation without reeling, ofisets in the printing are eliminated. My process also provides for the printing and waxing and the cutting off the paper in 31 the wrapplng machine in register, so that the printed matter can be disposed as desired on the wrapped article or package. Obviously this is not possible under the processes now practiced where the printing is a separate and distinct operation.

It is desirable also in wrappin articles or packages in waxed paper to emp oy the wax the seams of the wrapper. For this reason heretofore it has been necessary to coat the entire paper with a heavier coating of wax than would otherwise be required, in order that sufiicient wax be present for the sealing operation, inasmuch as the paper is reeled after waxing, and were a heavier coating applied at the seam portions it would be impossible to reel it properly, if at all.

Inasmuch as the process of my invention eliminates the reeling operation I am enabled to apply a heavy coating of wax at the seams and as thin a coatin as may be desired throughout the remainder of the paper, and employ a low melting point wax as distinguished from the high melting point wax now used.

I am aware that in some commercial processes paper is evenly coated with wax throughout and then during the wrapping operation additional wax is added. This procedure, however, adds complications to an already intricate piece of apparatus and is avoided by my process.

By the present invention the unwaxed paper is taken from a roll, passed through a waxing apparatus to receive the desired wax coating, chilled and then passed immediately into the wrapping apparatus, all in a continuous operation, the paper, if desired, 10

being printed prior to its entry into the waxlng apparatus.

Inasmuch as my process is a continuous one and inasmuch as the paper as it emerges from the waxing apparatus is chilled and immediately thereafter passed into the wrapping apparatus, it will be obv1ous that a low melting point wax, perhaps as low as 120, may be employed without any difficulty, thereby effecting a savlng to the consumer so far as materials are concerned, while the chilling operation immediately prior to the entry of the paper into the wrapping apparatus eliminates shutdowns due to the wrapping machine becommg clogged because even though a low melting point wax has been used, the chilling operation renders the wax, temporarily, harder than the high melting point wax which has not ,been so chilled. Furthermore, low melting point wax has greater penetrating gualities, when molten, which fact lends itsel to producing a more transparent and beautiful wrapper.

Furthermore, the waxing and wrapping in a continuous operation is of advantage even when'high melting point wax is used, because, as above pointed out, trouble is experienced even with high melting point wax, because of .the necessary reeling after waxing, a step eliminated by my process.

In the drawing accompanying this application:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in part sectional elevation of an apparatus suitable for the practice of my improved method;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a waxing cylinder which may be employed in thewaxing apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the paper produced in the waxing apparatus when the cylinder or roll of Fig. 2 is employed;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another type of waxing cylinder or wax applyin roll which may be substituted for the cylinder of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to the view in Fig. 3 showing a paper waxed by use of the cylinder of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 desige nates a reel of paper which in the practice of my invention may be printed, waxed, chilled and then wrapped about a package or article in a continuous operation. The reel of paper 1 it will be understood is unwaxed, and this paper is passed from the roll or reel about an idler roller 2, impression roller 3 of a printing apparatus and between the impression roller 3 and type roller 4.

5 designates ink-applying rollers adapted to apply ink to the type roller 4 as will be understood, so that as the paper passes be tween the impression roller 3 and type roller 4 it will receive the printed matter which g and the wrapping apparatus.

it is desired to have applied thereto.

The paper after leaving the rollers 3 and 4 passes over suitable idlers 6 and 7 and beneath roller 8 in a tank 9. This tank contains melted wax 10 and the paper as it passes through the tank 9 receives its wax coating. I may mention at this oint that the ink employed in the printing 0% the paper is a quick drying ink and the elapsed time between the application of this ink to the paper and the entry of the paper into the wax 10 is sufiicient to enable such ink to be dried to the necessary degree so that the paper may receive the proper coating of wax without injury to the printed matter and likewise without the ink discoloring the wax. The paper after it passes beneath the roller 8 in the wax 10 passes between waxing cylinder 11 and roller 12. The cylinder 11 may be the cylinder shown in Fig. 2 or the cyl: inder shown in Fig. 5, as will behereinafter explained. The rollers 11 and 12, it will be understood, control the amount of wax that shall remain on the paper and whether or not the wax coating shall be even or uneven.

The paper after receiving its coating of wax passes over chilling roller 13 and be neath chilling roller 14 where the wax coating is chilled and from thence immediately to the wrapping apparatus. The wrapping apparatus may be of the type shown 1n U. 3. Patent No; 1,626,379 of April 26, 1927 to which reference may be made. I have illustrated this apparatus merely diagrammatically. 15 and 16 designate driving rolls, 17 guiding rolls and B a package to be wrapped, such as a loaf of bread. M designates the driving motor.

The entire operation is a continuous one.

For the purpose of properly synchronizing the printing, waxing, chilling and wrapping operations I have illustrated a drive for the impression roller 3 of the printing apparatus, waxing cylinder 11, chilling roller 14 This drive, as illustrated, is in the form of a drive shaft D driven off the motor M and geared to the rollers 3, 11, 14 and the wrapping machine. This insures a proper advance of the paper forwardly from the roll 1 and the application of the. printed matter and wax thereto, the chilling of the paper after waxing and the immediate entry thereafter of the chilled paper into the waxing apparatus and wrapping of the articles or packages therein.

As mentioned above it is desirable in the wrapping of articles in waxed paper to apply only suflicient wax to the paper to preserve the articles wrapped therein andyet at the same time to make the wrapper self-sealing which eliminates the necessity of applying wax to the paper for sealing purposes at the completion of or during the wrapping operation. In this connection the waxing cylinder 11 is provided on its surface with formations such as peripheral grooves 18 although a roughened or a knurled area would sufiice, and this cylinder when used will apply a heavier coating of wax to the paper at the areas 18 than throughout the major portion of the paper. This is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein 19 designates the relatively light or thin coating of wax throughout the major portion of the paper, while 20 designates the relatively heavy coating, it being understood that the portions 20 are so positioned on the paper as to come at the seam or overlapping portions of the paper-which it is desired to seal during or at the completion of the wrapping operation.

Inasmuch as the necessity for reeling the paper after leaving the roll 1 is eliminated it will be apparent that no difficulty will be experienced in handling the paper after the application of the uneven wax coating thereto, as would be the case were it necessary, as under present practice, to reel the paper after the uneven waxing operation has been completed. Obviously were an attempt madeto reel the paper 7 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 this would be a diflicult, if not impos sible, operation, the heavier coatings 20 of wax preventing the proper laying up of the paper on the reel and adding to the sticking and marring difficulties above referred to.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have provided a continuous process for printing, waxing and chilling of the paper and the wrapping of articles therein and inasmuch as the paper is not reeled after it once leaves roll 1 o'fi'sets in the printing are avoided as well as all the other difliculties above mentioned.

I have mentioned also that by my improved process the printing may be so applied to the paper as to be positioned centrally, or as otherwise desired, of the wrapped article. In this connection it is clear that due to the continuous'operation the printed matter can be placed in any desired position on the paper relatively to the'point at which the paper is to be cut. In other words the printing and cutting are in register.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, I have provided the waxing cylinder 11 of Fig. 5 with a longitudinally extending groove 21 in substitution of the peripheral grooves 18 of Fig. 2 and when such a cylinder is used the heavier waxed portions designated 22 appearing on the paper extend transversely thereof instead of longitudinally as-in Fig. 3. This form of waxing lends itself to proper positioning of the printed matter on the paper even more readily than when the cylinder of Fig. 2 is employed, inasmuch as by a continuous operation notonly are the printing and cutting of the paper in the wrapping machine in regilster, but the application of the wax 22 as we It is to be understood that the showing of the printing apparatus, waxing apparatus,

chlllmg apparatus and wrapping apparatus is more or less diagrammatic and merely illustrative inasmuch as if desired other forms of apparatus could be used in the practice of my invention.

I wish it to be clearly understood, furthermore, that my invention is directed broadly to a process wherein and whereby paper may be waxed and immediately thereafter used in a wrapping operation without reeling, thereby permitting if desired of the use of a low melting point wax, as distinguished from the high melting point wax now necessarily used, because of the conditions above referred to.

What I claim is 1. In the wrapping of articles in waxed paper the step which consists in chilling the wax of the paper immediately prior to its entry into the wrapping apparatus.

2. The process which consists in advancing a paper web through liquid wax to apply a coating of wax to the paper, chilling, and wrapping articles therein,all on a continuous operation.

3. In the wrapping of articles in waxed paper, the process which comprises applying an extra heavy coating of wax to the paper at the seam portions thereof simultaneously with the application of a lighter coating of wax to the other portions of the paper and wrapping articles in paper so prepared on continuous movement of the paper.

4. A waxed wrapping paper provided at the seam portions thereof with a coating of wax of increased thickness as compared with the thickness of the coating of wax throughout the remainder of the paper;

5. The process which consists in drawing paper from a reel, and printing. waxing and chilling the paper, and wrapping articles therein,-in a continuous operation.

6. The process which consists in printing paper, waxing the entire surface of the same to provide a completely waxed surface with waxed ridges or areas extending transversely of the paper, cutting the paper into lengths, the printing application of the waxed ridges and the cutting of the paper being in register and wrapping articles in said lengths of paper, in a continuous operation.

7. The process which consists in applying an increased coating of wax to predetermined portions of a paper web, said portions extendmg transversely of the web, simultaneously with the application of a lighter coating to the remainder of the surface of the web, cutting the paper into lengths in register with the heavier coated portions of the paper and wrapping articles in said length of paper, in a continuous operation.

This specification signed this 20th day of March, 1929.

CARD s. HAMlERSLEY.

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